Audi TraditionGoodwood Festival of Speed 2011

Audi Tradition entered two of its legendary Auto Union Silver Arrow cars in the world’s biggest historic motorsport event. Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason drove the 1936 Type C. Ex-Formula 1 driver Hans-Joachim Stuck took to the wheel of the car in which his father Hans Stuck won Le Mans – the 1939 Auto Union Type D Dual Compressor. Also lining up at the start were the two Le Mans winners Marco Werner and Andre Lotterer.

The big weekend finally arrived. The Earl of March and Kinrara opened the gates of this Mecca of historic motorsport from July 1 to 3 in hosting the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Rubbing shoulders with a host of big names from the motor racing scene, 150,000 spectators were able to witness many historic vehicles, including two of the legendary Auto Union Silver Arrow cars belonging to Audi Tradition.

Keeping up a family traditionFormula 1 driver, Le Mans winner and successful Audi touring car driver Hans-Joachim “Striezel” Stuck took to the wheel of an authentic replica of the 485 hp Auto Union Type D Dual Compressor from 1939. In doing so he was keeping up something of a family tradition, because his father Hans Stuck raced for Auto Union for the last time in this racing car in 1939. Five years earlier, Hans Stuck had clinched his first wins for the newly established Motor Racing Department. The legendary “compressor era” that lasted until 1939 saw Hans Stuck, the “King of the Hills”, clinch further victories, already elevating him to unofficial European Champion in 1934 before the inaugural Grand Prix European Championship took place in 1935.

“The last Auto Union works driver”Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason cut an impressive figure in a 1936 Auto Union Type C – exactly 75 years after Bernd Rosemeyer had become European Champion with this vehicle. Mason has a deep passion for historic racing cars and owns a remarkable collection of racing cars. True to his philosophy that these cars only reveal their true beauty when in action, he has competed in many races including the Le Mans 24 Hours. Having now appeared five times at Goodwood for Audi Tradition, Nick Mason has earned himself the nickname of “the last Auto Union works driver”.

More recent Le Mans winners in the Audi R10TDITDISynonymous with muscular torque delivery and outstanding efficiency: TDI. Today, TDI engines are sporty, smooth and economical.TDI and Audi R18 TDIMarco Werner, three-time Le Mans winner and victor in the Daytona and Sebring endurance classics, appeared at Goodwood in the Audi R10 TDI from 2007. This was the vehicle in which he won the Le Mans 24 Hours twice in succession. In 2006, he helped Audi become the first brand to win with a diesel-engined car. The most recent Le Mans winner Andre Lotterer made a sizzling entrance on the Goodwood estate in the Audi R18 TDI. There was also plenty for followers of historic motorcycles at Goodwood: legendary racing bikes were again in action in the guise of a DKW SS 250 from 1937 and a 1939 DKW SS 350.